Carbon combat: The expected legal battle over the Obama administration’s coming limits on carbon emissions from existing power plants could provide a rarity for environmental litigation — a case for which there is scant court precedent. [WSJ] Read More »

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives failed to check 58% of the nation’s 125,481 gun dealers for compliance with firearms laws within that time frame, the report by the office of Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said, citing a lack of resources at the agency.

The report, released Tuesday, looked at gun dealers who were due for a five-year inspection between fiscal 2007 and fiscal 2012.

Our colleagues in Washington are digging through the investigative report, and we’ll update with their highlights. In the meantime, here is the primary source. The top line: the IG report recommends no criminal charges but cites 14 current officials for missteps.

• Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz said Attorney General Eric Holder wasn’t aware of the tactics being used in the operation until early 2011.

• The most senior official criticized in the report is Jason Weinstein, a deputy assistant attorney general in the Criminal Divison:

The report says Mr. Weinstein should have noticed similarity with the earlier tactics in Wide Receiver.

Mr. Weinstein has resigned, the department said Wednesday.

In an interview, Mr. Weinstein said the report unfairly blamed him for unintentionally receiving and relaying bad information. “I was horrified when I discovered what I was told was inaccurate,” Mr. Weinstein said.

Michael Bromwich, a former Justice Department inspector general now representing Mr. Weinstein, called the report “badly flawed” because, he said, it implicitly argues Mr. Weinstein should have been “a mind reader” when talking to subordinates.

• Kenneth Melson, who was acting head of the ATF amid the scandal and moved to another post at the Justice Department, has resigned, the department said Wednesday.

Mr. Melson said in a statement: “While I firmly disagree with many of the speculative assumptions, conclusions and characterizations in the inspector general’s report, as the acting director of the agency I was ultimately responsible for the actions of each employee.”

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The Law Blog covers the legal arena’s hot cases, emerging trends and big personalities. It’s brought to you by lead writer Jacob Gershman with contributions from across The Wall Street Journal’s staff. Jacob comes here after more than half a decade covering the bare-knuckle politics of New York State. His inside-the-room reporting left him steeped in legal and regulatory issues that continue to grab headlines.

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